Dis

The Second Layer of the Nine Hells

The second layer, Dis, is both a layer and a burning city of iron known as the Iron City of Dis. The walls of the buildings of the city radiate extreme heat, as do the stones of the streets; more than brief skin contact results in severe burns. The Archduke Dispater rules this layer from the Iron Tower, an impregnable fortress that reaches far into the sky and can be seen everywhere on Dis (literally; by looking to any direction in the skyline one can see the Iron Tower).
A notable feature of Dis is God Street, a place filled with buildings that are actually the godly realms of various lawful evil deities that have not earned enough worshipers to earn a realm on another layer of Baator or another plane entirely. The Hidden Mother has a sanctuary here as well where she deals with the infernal, selling the souls of those her people were hired to assassinate.
The ultimate power in Dis is Dispater, ruling from the Iron Tower at the center of the city, ever-ordering the deconstruction and reconstruction of its streets. When busy with other matters, however, power falls to his provost, Biffant. Though no more benign than Dispater, when he directs the city the slave troupes may at least ease their trials, for he has little of the aesthetic obsession that so grips his master. Such times rarely last more than a day or two, unfortunately for them.

Dispater, Lord of the Second



Relationships

Dispater's sole consort was Lilis, the Iron Maiden. Since her intelligence network covered all of Baator, she supplied Dispater with much necessary information.
Malachlabra, Duchess of Hell, was his daughter. She had three long sinuous barbed tails, an obsidian-hued lush human body, and bat wings coming from her shoulders.
In terms of politics, Dispater was allied with Mephistopheles, the Lord of the Eighth. Together, they schemed against Baalzebul, the Lord of the Seventh.

Personality

Paranoid and reclusive, he never left the inner sanctum of the Iron Tower at the center of the city of Dis. He was always stoic, emotionless, and expressionless. He remained this way constantly even in the heat of battle and while committing acts of unspeakable evil.

Activities

The Lord of the Second, Dispater, controlled the layer of Dis from his Iron Tower.
Dispater never took risks and thus almost never left his Iron Tower, and then, only to the call of Asmodeus. At all other times, he relied on his aspect to deal with the other archdukes of the Nine Hells. Dispater's Iron Tower, a nigh-impenetrable fortress, was itself an extremely powerful magic item that amplified his powers and made him nearly invulnerable. The Iron Duke received all necessary information from his consort Lilis. Known as the Iron Maiden, Lilis was the only consort Dispater was known to have, and her intelligence network covered all Baator and beyond, making her one of the most knowledgeable creatures in the Nine Hells. In terms of politics, Dispater and Mephistopheles, Lord of the Eighth, were allies and are usually scheming against Baalzebul, Lord of the Seventh.
Since Glasya's elevation and the apparent ease with which Asmodeus arranged it, Dispater's already healthy paranoia grew, prompting him to retreat further into his Iron Tower and work harder than ever to root out traitors both actual and potential. He had half of his servants spying on the other half. He also tried to distance himself from his allies and seek peace with his enemies to avoid having any enemies, a futile goal.

Titivillus, First Duke of the Second

Relationships

Titivilus serves Dispater on the second layer of Hell. Dispater places great trust in Titivilus, allowing him to represent his lord in almost every matter. This has caused some to suspect that Titivilus is Dispater in disguise, or that Titivilus has in fact killed and replaced his master. As Dispater's confidante, Titivilus has the ability to rouse the armies of Dis or send pit fiends fleeing in terror. Dispater's paranoia and unwillingness to venture outside his tower means that Titivilus is often tasked with bringing orders to dukes such as Arioch or even Lilis. There are many at Dispater's court who would love to see Titivilus brought down a notch.

Vassals

Titivilus is served by his "dire maidens," a flock of erinyes.

Geography

The iron walls and streets of the city smoke with intense heat, burning those who touch them without protection.The most prominent building in the Iron City is Dispater's tower of iron and lead, a sky scraping edifice that constantly changes shape. The streets, too, are constantly shifting, constantly being rebuilt by the tormented petitioners, confusing and sometimes choked with garbage. Despite all this, Dis is the most populous and wealthy city in Baator, filled with plane-walkers of all types who come to sample the city's terrifying delights.
Black, stagnant rivers criss-cross its streets. Monolithic spurs of blackened, unworked iron thrust out at random intervals of the city, these pillars are the souls of visitors and inhabitants alike who severely angered Dispater

Locations

Dispater's Iron Tower

The tower is 999 miles tall and changes shapes constantly to a cone, a spiral, a starburst, a squat dome, a stabbing fist, and other endless variations.

Gateway to the Hall of Skulls

Densely guarded, travelling down the Hall of Skulls to Minauros is currently only available to those granted access by Dispater himself.

The Bastille of Souls

A warehouse of soul shells that are not lawful evil, but somehow ended up in Hell anyway. Dispater can't use them himself, but he can use them for trade or ransom. These souls can't be raised or resurrected.

Mentiri

This prison holds mortals that broke the laws of hell. Polymorphed devils to sow discord. Once corrupted, the prisoners are killed and reborn as lemures and nupperibos. Sometimes souls of mortals end up here without being damned. Due to ancient compacts, they cannot be tormented nor destroyed, but they don’ t have to be released.

God Street

A winding lane inside a plaza bounded with faceless statues that is home to would-be and has-been lawful evil deities. These deities scheme and live in impossibly huge temples. This street can only be visited through magic. The gods include:

• The Hidden Mother (assassination)
• Khandovar the Punisher (torture)
• Z'zelth of the Eighth Order (false knowledge)
• Uin the Unseeing (blind obedience)

Other Layers of Hell

• Avernus
• Minauros
• Phlegethos
• Stygia
• Malbolge
• Maladomini
• Cania
• Nessus

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Characters in Location

• Baldric
• Zorosco

The Sanctum of the Hidden Mother

The Sanctum of the Hidden Mother resides on God Street. The Hidden Mother is the Goddess of Assassination. Her emissaries are assassins under the name of The Sisterhood of the Hidden Mother or The Sisterhood for short.

The Spectres of Dis

The city is haunted by a legion of spectres, creatures who realized just when they died that they were wrong about their evil ways. They seek out mortals for a lethal comforting embrace of the virtuous.
They weep and wail and give off evil energy that is collected in metallic rods that give Dispater power. The other archdevils want to know how he does this.

The Garden of Delights

This enticing place is staffed with comely servants, cool beverages, silken pillows sweetmeats and fruits. The longer you're here, the less chance you leave, Dispater forbids his subjects to enter. as this is a place for corruption, not for recreation. Most of this place is comprised of illusions made by a bound fire genie.

The Smoking Salmon

Renowned for its cuisine. The Smoking Salmon is a "tavern" with food that is so delicious that is tempts even Dispater to venture from his tower. No one has yet been able to discover its secret, but many, devil and mortal alike have lost their way coming to The Smoking Salmon.